Here's another example from Coach!
Dauber is explaining to "walk-ons"--students who want to try out for football despite not being recruited--how to apply. They have to fill out ALL the paperwork.
He finishes his instructions and asks if there are any questions. An attendee raises his hand.
"Do we have to fill out all the paperwork?" he asks in complete innocence.
Any teacher who has just finished explaining an assignment in detail knows the frustration such a question arouses. Where have you been? I just SAID...
Dauber doesn't roll his eyes. He doesn't raise his voice. He doesn't get upset.
"Good question," he says sincerely. "You must fill out ALL the paperwork..."
Dauber is kind--however, his behavior here is the deep chivalry of
taking the event as it is. It is kindness that adheres to a consistent
standard. Less about emotive compassion. More about "here's what I need
to do right now."
I once stood in line at the Help desk at Staples and listened to a Tech customer service guy explain to a customer for nearly 5 minutes that yes, it is strange that the software would cost more than the hardware but that is the way things are and here are your options.
For nearly 5 minutes, he said the same thing over and over and over again to the same belligerent series of question. The customer never stopped, pondered, and made a decision. He just kept complaining. Yet the Tech service guy never raised his voice. He never rolled his eyes. He never got upset.
My hero!
The same episode as Dauber's chivalrous kindliness includes Leonard Kraleman, the guy with the "body of a real plucky kid" who tries out for the team and gets hammered--"but he kept getting up!"
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